Physicochemical and Electrocatalytic Performance of Chromium doped Iron Pyrite Thin Films

P. Prabukanthan; M. Sreedhar; G. Harichandran; T. Tatarchuk; K. Dinakaran; S. Uthayakumar; A. Younis

doi:10.15330/pcss.23.1.134-143

Authors

P. Prabukanthan Muthurangam Government Arts College
M. Sreedhar Muthurangam Government Arts College
G. Harichandran University of Madras
T. Tatarchuk Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University
K. Dinakaran Thiruvalluvar University
S. Uthayakumar Royal Holloway University of London
A. Younis University of Bahrain

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15330/pcss.23.1.134-143

Keywords:

Electrochemical deposition, semiconductor thin films, pyrite, impedance spectroscopy, electrocatalytic activity, surface analysis

Abstract

Chromium (Cr³⁺) doped iron pyrite (FeS₂) thin films were deposited on ITO substrate by a facile electrochemical deposition process. The effect of chromium content on structural, optical, electrical, morphological, and electrocatalytic behavior of the pyrite thin films were examined. X - ray diffraction studies confirmed the formation of cubic crystal structure of deposited thin films. Atomic force microscopy results indicate that Cr³⁺doping has strong influence on crystallinity, surface roughness and grain size of as-deposited thin films. Further, bandgap reduction was found in Cr³⁺ doped FeS₂ thin films. The interfacial charge resistance of fabricated thin films was investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and 3 mole % Cr³⁺ doped FeS₂thin films showed excellent conductivity with a low charge transfer resistance of 49 Ω. Further, the electrocatalytic performance of the prepared pyrite thin films was investigated. Cr doped thin films were found to exhibit better performance. Anti-structural modeling was opted to investigate the characteristics of defects in fabricated thin films and it was established that Cr³⁺substitutionmay form cation (Fe²⁺) vacancies which could be responsible for enhanced photochemical and electrochemical activities in Cr-doped FeS₂thin films.

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